I was surprised to see an article on the ABC News website about misleading claims from Australian Solarium Operators, as the link between UV and skin cancers is well known.
The court action followed the death from melanoma of the anti-solarium campaigner Clare Oliver in 2007
“The Federal Court has ruled tanning salons breached the Trade Practices Act by publishing misleading claims about solarium use. The court ordered the Solarium Industry Association and two solarium companies not to publish misleading information about the risks of solarium tanning. Justice Ray Finkelstein found the Australian Tanning Association and Victoria’s biggest solarium chain, Body Bronze, misrepresented the risks of solarium tanning. He found Body Bronze had published a range of misleading claims, including statements that there was no evidence linking solarium use to an increased risk of skin cancer, and that tanning protects the skin against sunburn. The court prohibited any similar publications and ordered the implementation of a trade practices compliance program. The association, Body Bronze and its former chief executive, and another company, Tropical Sun, were told by Justice Finkelstein they could be charged with contempt if they failed to comply with his orders.”
The action spectra for tanning and (BCC & SCC) cancer are similar, though the picture with melanomas is more complex. It takes more UV to tan with UVA than UVB, but the risk of skin cancer remains about the same. Solarium’s changed to the less harmful UVA, but have to use more of it.
